


Kyoya Ootori and the Crystal Ball

by Anayume



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Host Clubs, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, POV Third Person, References to Ouran High School Host Club, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 11:44:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11943471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anayume/pseuds/Anayume
Summary: An unexpected new guest at the Ouran Host Club surprisingly figures out Haruhi's secret on her own, giving the hosts an extra reason to be kind to her. This mysterious lady catches Kyoya's eye by constantly catching him off guard and charming the other hosts with her talents. Meanwhile, the hosts plot to salvage Haruhi's "reputation" and prepare for their next big event: the Crystal Ball.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Now... to begin your Ouran experience appropriately, please paste either of these links into your browser to kick this fanfic off with Sakura Kiss in your preferred language!
> 
> (♫ English ♫)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJXRDvwJN_Y
> 
> (♫ Japanese ♫)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFo8BEbEdhw
> 
> Throughout the story, I've linked to music from the Ouran OST that I believe goes well with that part of the story. I think it just adds to the experience! I really hope you enjoy it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's business as usual at the Ouran Host Club until a new guest stirs up a little curiosity and confusion.

** Chapter 1 **

 

(Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Menuet of Innocence](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEV2qIxJ_nc))

_**         The  Ouran Host Club is open for business.  ** _ Kyoya Ootori opened the doors to Music Room 3, revealing a long line of female students waiting in the hallway.

        “Welcome,” said the members of the host club in unison as the ladies made their way through the double-doors.

        “Please make yourselves at home,” requested Kyoya. He remained by the doors to greet the guests. “Don’t forget to sign in if haven’t yet this week so that we’re able to send you information regarding our upcoming events and auctions.” He placed a rather large leather-bound book on a podium by the doors.  He then opened a smaller black book that he’d had tucked under his arm and placed a checkmark next to "Place Sign-In Book By the Door" under the title "Open For Business To-Do List." 

        In accordance with his routine, Kyoya approached his laptop to see if he had any reserved requests. Upon opening the reservation document, he saw that he had none for that afternoon. He placed a checkmark next to "Reserved Requests." He then went onto observing his fellow hosts. The club's president, Tamaki Suoh, was faring quite well as per usual.

        "Oh Tamaki," said a dark-haired girl with plump, pink lips sitting to his left, "do you really mean that?"

        "Of course I do, my princess," Tamaki replied, and he lifted her chin gently with his finger. "There's absolutely nothing else I would rather do after a long day of schooling than enjoy this herbal tea with you. Even if it tastes bitter, I know that it's only because nothing can compare to your sweetness."

        The girl began to fan herself. Kyoya scribbled on a blank page:  _ **October 1st. Tamaki Suoh: Satisfactory. ** _ He then crossed to the opposite corner of the music room to observe third-years Mitsukuni "Honey" Haninozuka and Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka. 

        "Mitsukuni," began Mori, "frosting." He seized a napkin from the tabletop and dabbed it in a nearby glass of ice water, then proceeded to wipe the bit of buttercream frosting that had been smeared upon Honey's cheek.

        "Oh!" exclaimed one of the ladies sitting with them. “That's just so sweet!"

        "Yeah, Mori, you're such a great friend," added another.

        "Thanks, Takashi!" said a grateful, giggling Honey, and he threw his arms around Mori’s neck.

        "Awwwww!" sighed the ladies.

_** Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai: Satisfactory.  **_He then went to evaluate Haruhi Fujioka, who was seeing guests one at a time.

        "So how do you like Ouran Academy so far?" asked the blonde-haired girl sitting opposite Haruhi.

        "I really like it. I definitely made the right choice when I decided to take the scholarship test to come here," replied Haruhi.

        "What was your middle school like?"

        "Oh, nothing like this, but it was nice. I'll bet my mother would be so happy to see me thriving in a place so different from what I’m used to. Well, I'm sure she  is  from heaven..."

        "I'll bet! It's such a shame that you lost your mother at such a young age. She's definitely got a lot to be proud of!"

        "Thank you very much," said Haruhi. "So does your mother. Making first chair violin in the orchestra club during your first year of high school is a big deal. Having that kind of talent is really rare."

        "Oh, thank you, Haruhi! You're the nicest guy I've ever met!"

        "Aw, I'm just being honest."

        _** Haruhi Fujioka: Satisfactory. ** _  Kyoya then went over to observe the Hitachiin brothers.  _It seems I'm just in time_ , he thought.

        "Hikaru!" Kaoru sung as he looked away, his face flushed. "Don't embarrass me!"

        "What's wrong?" asked Hikaru playfully. "I'm just doing what I did the last time you got a paper cut." He was holding Kaoru's hand against his own chin, his lips pressed up against the miniscule scrape on the side of his brother's index finger.

        "But you didn't have to caress my leg! That's just for when we're alone, remember?" He blushed harder.

        "Sometimes it's hard to wait..."

        "Oh, Hikaru..."

        The ladies gathered around the twins were gnawing on napkins, tugging at their hair, and clapping their hands.

        "What a beautiful display of brotherly love!"

        "You really can't get closer than they are!"

        "There's nothing sweeter than the bond the Hitachiin brothers share!"

_** Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin: Satisfactory. ** _ He placed a checkmark next to "Host Evaluations." Kyoya then wanted to see if there were any new names in the guest book. As he approached the entrance to the music room, he saw someone he hadn’t seen at the host club before signing in. She had wavy, light-brown curls that reached her hips. As Kyoya approached her, she looked up at him, revealing a pair of grey eyes that seemed to sparkle as the light reflected in them.

        "Good afternoon," said Kyoya politely, "and welcome to the Ouran Host Club. I believe this is your first time here, is it not?"

        "Yes, it is," the girl answered, never breaking her gaze with him.

        "Please make yourself at home. I'll go gather the rest of the hosts so that we can welcome you properly."

        "Oh, thank you,” replied the girl with a slight tone of surprise.

        Kyoya made his way into the prep room where his bag sat alongside the other hosts' belongings. He removed his cellphone and sent a text message to all of the hosts.  _** We have a new guest. Let's greet her at the front doors. ** _  When Kyoya returned to the entrance, the others had already arrived.

        "Welcome," said the hosts in unison.

        "Thank you very much," replied the girl with a bow.

        "And what is your name, my princess?" Tamaki asked, gingerly taking the lady's hand.

        "Sasaki Mika." She smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

        "The pleasure's all mine, Princess Sasaki. I've never seen a woman with so much beautiful, long hair." Tamaki twirled away from the girl and joined the other hosts. "Feel free to stay as long as you like. The room will be lovelier the longer you're in it. I'm Tamaki Suoh, the King of the Host Club!" He began to point to the other hosts. "This here is Kyoya Ootori, the Vice President. We have Haninozuka-senpai, but we call him 'Honey' for short, Morinozuka-senpai, or 'Mori,' Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, and our newest host, Haruhi Fujioka."

        “Thank you,” said Mika softly. “Hello, gentlemen.”

        "As it's your first time here," began Kyoya, "please feel free to request a private session with any one of our hosts. Be sure to let us know how your experience was before you leave."

        "Well, I'd like to speak with Fujioka then," Mika said gently, and Kyoya slipped away from the group, making his way back toward his computer.

        Tamaki froze. "Ha..ru...hi?"

        "Yes. Is that alright?" asked Mika quizzically.

        "Of course it is," said Hikaru, elbowing Tamaki.

        "Don't mind the boss. He's a bit silly sometimes," added Kaoru, who was also sure to give Tamaki a nudge.

        "I'd be glad to spend some time with you, miss” Haruhi chimed in with a smile. "You can follow me."

_ Miss Mika Sasaki. Could she perhaps be the daughter of the famous Sasakis? I order a lot of the food for our events from them... _  Kyoya thought as he typed the girl's name into a search engine.  _ Ah-ha _ _._ He clicked upon the first result, revealing an article about the famous Sasaki family:

 

 

 

 

 

 

> _ Sasaki Shin and Sasaki Kiku, founders of Sasaki Gourmet, began their company in the kitchen of their first apartment before they were even engaged to be married. With Kiku's unique, incomparable skills in traditional Japanese cuisine and Shin's imaginative dessert creations and homemade ice cream, Sasaki Gourmet restaurants make for a must-stop on any occasion. Over the years, they have expanded franchises all over Japan, and have even branched out into Europe within the last three years. _

        Kyoya scrolled further down the webpage.

 

 

 

> _ Their daughter, Sasaki Mika, is attending Lobelia Academy to study culinary artistry with hopes to follow in her mother and father's footsteps. It is rumored that some of their newer products, such as their lemon meringue pretzel bites, have been accredited to Mika's already nearly professional culinary skills and creativity. _

_ Hmm, I ought to go properly introduce _ myself, Kyoya thought. _ If I'm sure to get on her good side, perhaps she might put in a good word to her mother about the host club since we’re frequent customers... _

Kyoya promptly stood and made his way over to Haruhi's table. 

        "I'm sorry to interrupt," said Kyoya over the spine of his book. He gave them a polite smile. "Would it be alright if I stole Miss Sasaki away from you for a moment, Haruhi?"

        "Maybe you should ask Miss Sasaki directly, senpai," Haruhi replied.

        "Miss Sasaki, would you be so kind as to join me?" Kyoya asked, an eyebrow twitching as he closed his book.

        "Of course,” answered Mika, and she stood. “Excuse me, Haruhi. It was really nice getting to know you.” She bowed.

        Haruhi smiled. “You as well, Miss Sasaki. Enjoy the rest of your stay with us.”

        Kyoya turned on his heel, and Mika followed behind him until they reached an empty corner of the music room. 

        “I apologize for cutting your time short with Haruhi,” said Kyoya. “I’d just realized that I never properly introduced myself. I’m Kyoya Ootori. I take care of the majority of the business end of things here at the host club. If you like, I could tell you a little bit of what our club is all about.”

        “Thank you, but Haruhi already answered all of my questions for me.”

        “Oh, wonderful.”  _ What questions, exactly? _  “Then I suppose you know that the other hosts and I are completely at your service while you are here. There is nothing we treasure more than making our beautiful guests feel at home.”

        “Oh, you’re good,” Mika giggled. “Thank you. You all run quite the show here. It’s a really pleasant environment. I can see why you do so well.”

        “Thank you. I’ll be sure to let the other hosts know you said that.”

        “Although there  is  one thing I should bring to your attention,” Mika began slowly.

        “Oh? Please do.”

        “It’s Haruhi. She’s wonderful, but it’s a bit obvious. To me, anyway...”

        Kyoya instinctively raised an eyebrow; he pushed his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose.  _ She’s the only woman to figure out Haruhi’s true gender... and so quickly, too... _

        “Yes, well, due to some... mitigating circumstances, Haruhi will be posing as a host for the time being. We would appreciate it if you kept that to yourself.” 

        “Oh, of course I will,” replied Mika sincerely. “I had no intentions of doing the opposite.”

        “Thank you. We appreciate that.” Kyoya smiled.  _ Just who  is  this Mika Sasaki? _

 

##

 

** The Ouran Host Club is closed for business. **

"Haruhi, if you don't mind my asking, what did Miss Sasaki wish to speak with you about?" Kyoya asked as he updated the host club's website with the series of positive reviews that had been written in the sign-in book that afternoon.

        "She was just curious about the host club in general," replied Haruhi with a shrug. "She was telling me about how her mom cooks a lot of the food for our events. She seems really nice."

        "Did you happen to say anything that may have hinted at your femininity?" 

        "No..."

        So she was able to figure it out entirely on her own. An intelligent woman...

        “Why would you ask that, Kyo-chan?” Honey inquired, squeezing his stuffed bunny, Usa-chan, tightly to his chest.

        Kyoya sighed. “It appears that she has figured out that Haruhi is a girl.”

        Everyone gasped.

        “But how?!” hollered Kaoru.

        “None of these girls have been able to figure it out before!” exclaimed Hikaru.

        "How could this be?" wailed Tamaki, and he collapsed to his knees. "My little girl isn't manly enough?" He buried his face in his hands.

        "You do realize how that sounds, right?" Haruhi asked, her arms crossed. "It's not that big a deal, senpai."

        "Actually," Kyoya chimed in, "it is. If the school somehow figures out that you're a female, you won't be able to be a member of the host club any longer. We had an agreement that you would work for us until you repaid your debt."

        "How much do I still owe you guys?"

        Kyoya readjusted his glasses and smirked. "It's only October. You don't want to know."

        "We've got to figure out a way to rescue my Haruhi's manly reputation!" Tamaki interrupted.

        "Manly reputation?" the twins repeated, exchanging looks.

        "How do you s’pose we do that, Tama-chan?" asked Honey.

        "We'll have to plan something big for her to do at the Crystal Ball!" declared Tamaki.

        "Dare I ask what the Crystal Ball is?" inquired Haruhi.

        "The night before Halloween," Tamaki explained, and his gaze seemed to enter a universe entirely of its own, "the host club will be throwing a Crystal Ball. Our guests will enjoy dinner, dancing, and fortune telling by none other than us - the Ouran host club!  And  we'll be dressed in authentic fortune-teller cosplay."

        "Can Usa-chan be a psychic too?" asked Honey, placing the bunny on his shoulders.

        Mori carefully took the stuffed hare from Honey and sat it atop his own shoulders. "Of course," he answered for all of the hosts.

        Kyoya removed himself from the group and made his way into the prep room. He withdrew his cellphone.  _ Speaking of the Crystal Ball, I ought to give the Sasakis our order a few weeks in advance. It  is  rather large _ _._ He dialed the company's telephone number. As he waited for someone to pick up on the other end, he retrieved the list of dishes and desserts he needed the Sasakis to  prepare  for the Crystal Ball from his bag.

        "Good afternoon! Sasaki Gourmet," came a female voice from over the phone.

        “Good afternoon to you as well. This is Kyoya Ootori from the Ouran host club. We’re holding another event in a few weeks, and I’d like to place a large order.” 

        “Hello, Kyoya.” 

        _ It's her _ _._ “Would this be Miss Mika Sasaki? Thank you again for visiting the host club. Your presence today was much appreciated.”

        "Thank you, Kyoya. You were all so welcoming. I'll be sure to come back."

        "We'd love to have you."

        "Would you like me to take your order, or should I ask mother to come to the phone?"

_ As intrigued by you as I am, I'd like to continue to do business with your mother directly...  _ "I don't want to steal any of your afternoon. If you could get your mother for me, I'd appreciate that."

        "Thank you. That’s very kind of you. I'll go and get her. Have a good night; I'll see you tomorrow."

        "You as well, Miss Sasaki."  _‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’ Hmm._

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honey is missing?! We learn a little about Miss Sasaki.

**Chapter 2 **

 

  Tamaki, Haruhi, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Kyoya congregated by a fountain in the school's courtyard (per Tamaki’s request - he thought it would be “refreshing”).  Kyoya sat on the edge of the fountain, adding up the profits from the online auctions that had closed the previous evening.  T _he last pair of Haruhi's contacts went for_ _ ¥ 5 ,000. These girls never cease to amaze me. Tamaki's used eraser went for  ¥ 7,000 . Hikaru and Kaoru's half-eaten box of Pocky... _

        "Haruhi, I've the most wonderful idea!" Tamaki exclaimed, combing his fingers through his hair. "For our next event, we'll plan something out of this world to show off your manliness!"

        "And how’re you going to go about that?" Haruhi replied, sounding less than enthusiastic.

        "I think we should borrow the karate club's facilities and stage dramatic matches between all of us against Haruhi. When the guests see how she was strong enough to beat us, there will be no doubt that she  isn't  a she! Isn't it perfect?" 

        "That could work, but the karate club meets at the same time we do," Kyoya explained, "and on the same days as well. Unless we want to ask them to relocate, you might have to dream up something else, Tamaki."

        "Maybe Honey-senpai could help us," the Hitachiin brothers proposed.

        "He  was  captain of the club for a while," Kaoru pointed out.

        "Speaking of Honey, where is he?" asked Hikaru.

        In that instant, Mori came sprinting toward the group. After he caught his breath, he spoke.

        "He's gone," said Mori.

        "Who's gone?" inquired the twins.

        "Mitsukuni. I only took my eyes off of him for a minute."

        "Have you checked the music room?" asked Haruhi.

        "I went there first."

        The group  gasped  collectively. (Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Tango Brilliante](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Vf1YFtzB0&list=PLHoyRoIJhvUPlVxA9HsTfJalB2SZh7-fk&index=13) )

        "Then this is an emergency!" declared Tamaki, slamming his fist into his palm. "Operation: Find Our Beloved Honey-Senpai must commence immediately! Everybody, split up! Wait, Mori-senpai, do you have any idea which direction he might have gone in?"

        Mori shook his head.

        "Then let's split up!" Tamaki decided. "I'll check the cafeteria."

        "I'll check the classroom," Kyoya noted, and he stood to make his way there immediately.

        Upon entering Honey and Mori’s classroom, Kyoya found that it was vacant.  _ Perhaps I should just make my way back to Music Room 3. There  is  a chance that Honey-senpai forgot that Tamaki wanted to meet at the fountain today, and that Mori missed him arrive when he checked there _ _._ When Kyoya opened the doors to the music room, his eyes fell upon an unusual sight. Honey was seated opposite Mika Sasaki at a table for two, munching on a pinkish piece of cake as she poured tea.

        "Honey-senpai,” Kyoya began, “everyone’s been looking for you. Mori-senpai is especially worried. Have you been here this whole time?"

        "Mi-chan baked this all by herself!" Honey proclaimed as he shoveled a forkful of the cake into his mouth. "Just for me! It sure is delicious."

        "I'm sorry, Kyoya," Mika chimed in. "I didn't mean to worry anybody. I'd just heard about Honey's love for sweets and decided to bake him a little something." She sipped her tea.

        Kyoya pulled out his cellphone and dialed Tamaki's number. 

        "Yes, he's quite alright," Kyoya spoke into the phone after a short moment of silence. "He's sitting here in the music room sharing cake with Miss Sasaki. Yes, see you soon." He closed his phone and made his way over to a nearby sofa. Upon sitting, he withdrew his black book from his bag and began to review the club’s progress over the last week. After several minutes passed, the doors to the music room burst open.

        "Mitsukuni," said Mori as he rushed over to where Honey and Mika sat; he placed a hand atop Honey’s head, "don't run off like that."

        "'Kay, but Mi-chan made me this delicious cake!" He swallowed another heaping forkful as Mika smiled humbly across the table.

        "It does look quite delectable," Tamaki observed, leaning over Honey’s shoulder.

        "Thank you very much," replied Mika. "I'll be sure to bring enough for everybody the next time I bake for fun."

        Kyoya closed his book and stood, approaching the group.

        "Miss Sasaki," began Kyoya, "I can't help but wonder why you didn't remain at St. Lobelia’s. Their culinary program is more advanced than Ouran's, after all."

        "Well, I'd always wanted to attend Ouran Academy - wait a minute, how did you know that I'm a transfer student from St. Lobelia's?"

        Kyoya grinned and readjusted his glasses. "It's club policy to do a small background check on all of our guests. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. I promise we don't dig too deep here."

        " 'We?' " mumbled Haruhi. "Don't you mean  you ?"

        "That's fine," replied Mika. "In fact, I applaud that kind of approach. You want to be able to trust your guests, just as your guests want to be able to trust you.”

_         Professional _ , thought Kyoya. 

        “I left Lobelia's because I never wanted to go there in the first place. It's my mother's Alma mater, and she forced me to go there even after I made it clear that I wanted to go to Ouran Academy. Once I arrived at Lobelia’s, I wanted nothing more than to leave. The girls were so wrapped up in themselves and detesting boys that it was hard to even focus on my studies. Luckily, my mother only demanded that I stay there for one full year. Once that was over, she allowed me to transfer here to Ouran. So far, I've really loved being here. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming to me, especially all of you. I really appreciate that." She gave them a warm smile.

        "Well,” said Tamaki, “we're happy you've chosen to spend your afternoons with us." He handed Mika a red rose that seemed to appear from nowhere.

        "I hate to break up the fun," began Kyoya, "but we do have a business to open."

        "I’m sorry," said Mika. "I'll go join the rest of the girls in the hallway."

        "You can stay," said Honey sweetly. "We like you here."

        "You are absolutely right, Honey-senpai," agreed Tamaki. "That is, as long as you promise to bring  us  some sweets next time. That pink cake looks simply amazing!"

        Mika giggled. "It was just a little something I whipped up. I’d be happy to bring you something sometime soon."

        Kyoya had already opened the doors to the music room, and guests were making their way in. 

        "Well boys... and Haruhi," began Tamaki, "we've got some work to do."

 

##

 

        "Really, Kyoya?" asked a red-haired girl, her eyes glistening. "I'll take three!"

        "Of course, my dear," said Kyoya, handing the girl a small stack of photos. "These are entirely candid photos of your favorite hosts going about their day. You wanted three, you said? You could always have them signed, and they would only cost you  ¥1200 more each."

        "Oh wow, could I? I'd love that!"

        "Of course you can. I'll have Hikaru and Kaoru sign these for you this evening, and, if you join us for our test of courage this Saturday, I'll give them to you then."

        "I can't wait! Thank you so much, Kyoya."

        "You're quite welcome, mademoiselle."

        As Kyoya made his way toward the guest book he had left by the front doors, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Tamaki smiling back at him; a smaller piece of the pinkish cake that Honey had been eating sat on a saucer in his hand.

        "This really is delicious!" Tamaki exclaimed. "Honey-senpai gave me this from his  own  piece of cake. If  he's  willing to share, you know it's worth trying. Here, have a bite." He held a forkful of the cake up to Kyoya's mouth.

        "No, thank you," replied Kyoya as he pushed the fork away. "I really don't care all that much for sweets."

        "But you ought to just give it a taste. That Miss Sasaki really has some talent. Don’t you think so, Kyoya?"

        "I happen to believe that anybody with a proper cookbook can succeed to some degree in a kitchen," Kyoya answered coolly.

        "That's a little harsh. For your information, she created this treat all by herself. She didn't copy it from some old recipe. It's brand new."

        "In that case, I suppose she really  is  rather talented."

        "Beautiful and talented," Tamaki said, and tears welled in his eyes. "Her daddy must be so proud."

        "Yes, I'm sure. Don't you have guests to entertain? I'm a bit busy myself," said Kyoya curtly.

        Tamaki wiped his eyes and walked away; a horde of women rushed over toward him. Kyoya finally had a moment to glance at the guest book and jot down the handful of new guests’ names. When he turned around to make his way back toward his laptop, he found himself face to face with Mika Sasaki.

        "Hello, Miss Sasaki," said Kyoya with a smile. "Can I help you with anything?"

        "Kyoya Ootori: Second-year high school student at Ouran Academy, the third son of the Ootori family, an honors student, Vice President and Co-Founder of the Ouran Host Club."

        Kyoya was puzzled. He blinked. "Yes, that is me."

        "It's interesting," Mika began, "that you decided to do some checking up on me. I'd done some on you yesterday as well. That's why I applaud your club policy - you always want to know just who it is you're dealing with."

        "Yes, of course," Kyoya replied.  _ Hmm... _

        "You  _are_ one of our most frequent customers after all. My mother really likes doing business with the host club. You order some of her favorite things to make."

        "Well, good. I'll keep that in mind."  _ Perhaps I underestimated her. It seems we are quite alike. ...I don’t believe I’ve ever thought that about a woman before. _

        “Thank you. You know, I’ve learned a little something about you since my first visit.”

        “Oh? What’s that?”

        “When your nose isn’t in that book of yours,” Mika giggled, “you can be quite the gentleman.”

        Kyoya grinned. “I do my best.”

        “It shows. I hope you know how to relax though. You seem to have your professional face on even when the guests have gone and your friends are having fun.”

        “I’m capable of, as the saying goes, letting my hair down once in awhile. Don’t worry about me.”  _ Why worry about me, Miss Sasaki? _

        “Good, because that’s important too.” Mika gave him a smile. 

        "Everybody, please listen up!" came Tamaki's voice from across the room. "I want to announce the host club's next event. This Saturday night, we've been granted permission to use the school grounds after hours for a special Halloween test of courage competition!"

        The guests gasped and began whispering amongst themselves.

        "If you'd like to come out for some Halloween fun, please form a line behind the beautiful Princess Sasaki to sign up with Kyoya for the event. We're looking forward to seeing you there."

        All of the girls ran over and stood behind Mika, who had still been smiling up at Kyoya. 

        "Well, Miss Sasaki, will you be attending?" Kyoya asked, his pen pressing onto a blank page in his book for reservations.

        "Most definitely," Mika replied.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ouran Host Club holds their Halloween Test of Courage competition late at night on the school grounds. Kyoya saves Mika from some trouble and she insists on repaying him.

**Chapter 3 **

 

"Welcome to our Halloween Test of Courage!" the Hitachiin brothers announced when all of the guests arrived in the courtyard.

        "The rules are as follows," Kaoru began.

        "And they're simple enough," Hikaru continued.

        "If you scream, you're out," they said together. "The last one standing wins!"

        "Whoever wins will receive a sensual embrace from the host of her choice!" Kaoru exclaimed, and the ladies could not seem to stand still.

        "All participants will receive a complimentary signed photo of the hosts for your attendance," Kyoya quickly added. "You will all be separated into groups, and each group will be accompanied by two hosts. I, however, will remain back at base to keep an eye on things from here. Whenever you're ready, please form groups of six, and the hosts will take you on your journey through the academy's grounds. If you are declared ‘out,’ a host accompanying your team will escort you back here to base, where you will remain until the game ends. Are there any questions?”

        Silence fell over the crowd.

        “Then let’s get started!” Tamaki proclaimed. (Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Introduction And Tarantella For Chamber Orchestra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNLW4izL80I&index=8&list=PLHoyRoIJhvUPlVxA9HsTfJalB2SZh7-fk))

The students departed, leaving Kyoya alone in the courtyard. He immediately pulled out his black book and began to compare the sign-up list to the number of ladies who actually attended the event. As he placed check marks in his book, he would hear a scream or two in the distance, and students would be dropped off at the base area. 

        "That was fast," came Honey's voice over the walkie-talkie Kyoya had placed beside his person.

        "What is it, Honey-senpai?" asked Kyoya, and he paused what he was writing.

        "They're all out! Our ghost falling out of the tree scared all of our ladies at once."

        "Bring them back," requested Kyoya. "I'll give them their participation prize when you get here."

        "'Kay!"

        Hikaru and Kaoru led their group around to the school's parking lot. The brothers held hands as they walked, feigning fear.

        "Brother," started Kaoru, "is t-this where it happened?"

        "Where what happened?" asked one of the ladies in their group.

        "The murder," replied Hikaru. "Yes, it was here..."

        "They say the ghost still haunts the grounds," explained Kaoru, squeezing Hikaru's hand.

        Cupped between the twin's interlocked fingers was a remote control. Together, they pushed the large red button.

        "That's so scary..." The ladies trembled.

        A toy car wrapped in a white sheet came tumbling off of the roof. A plush pumpkin had been hot-glued to its headlights. The makeshift ghoul crashed to the ground behind everybody, causing the girls to shriek. Hikaru and Kaoru pulled out their walkie-talkies.

        "You're all out!" they said together to both their group of girls and Kyoya.

        As Hikaru and Kaoru led their group back to the starting location, Tamaki and Haruhi followed behind them with the remainder of their ladies. Kyoya looked up from his computer as they arrived. 

        "Is this everyone? Do we have a winner?" Kyoya asked, a bit perplexed at the sight of two groups returning at the same time.

        "We do," replied Tamaki. He lifted the arm of the lady standing beside him. "Princess Sasaki has won our test of courage!"

        The surrounding guests applauded.

        "Ugh, she's so lucky," one girl whispered to another.

        "Yeah, I wonder who she'll pick to hug!"

        "I'll bet it's Tamaki."

        "No, Haruhi! Who wouldn't pick Haruhi?"

        "Mori! I'll bet he gives hugs like a big teddy bear!"

        "Well Mika," said Tamaki, "as promised, the host of your choosing will give you a sensual embrace."

        All of the hosts stood together in front of the rest of the guests. Mika's eyes fell on each of the hosts before a small grin formed on her face.

        "Kyoya," said Mika.

        "Really?" asked the twins together, suppressing laughter.

        "Very well," replied Tamaki. "Kyoya, you owe this lovely lady a hug."

        Kyoya locked eyes with Mika and gave her a smile. "Of course." He approached her and wrapped his arms around her.  Perfume?  As they embraced, he closed his eyes and pulled her very close to his person. After all, he owed her something considered sensual.

        "Please, Kyoya, call me Mika," whispered Mika softly into his ear. Her breath tickled his neck, and a slight chill made its way down Kyoya's spine; he nearly jumped. "There's no need to be so formal with me."

        When they separated, Kyoya gave Mika slight nod.  _ What was that all about? _ After the guests went home, the hosts proceeded to clean up the various traps they had set for the event by relocating their props to Music Room 3.

        "Y’know," Hikaru began, "I think that's the first time Kyoya's ever been picked for anything."

        "Now that you mention it, I think you're right," replied Haruhi.

        "He's usually so busy behind the scenes that he tends to get overlooked," stated Kaoru casually.

        "I'm not entirely sure how to take that," Kyoya responded.  _ That makes two things this evening. _

        "Either way," said Tamaki, "congratulations, Kyoya. I suppose  I  can't get picked for everything after all. Consider yourself lucky. Princess Sasaki is a very wonderful woman."

        "I think Mi-chan is pretty," confessed Honey, and the same chill from before seemed to creep back down Kyoya's spine.

        "Aw, that's adorable, Honey-senpai," said Haruhi. "She  is  awful nice - offering to bake for us and all."

        "Not to mention keeping your secret, Haruhi" added Kyoya. "It's imperative that we remain on her good side."

        "I doubt we'll have any trouble with that," said Tamaki. "She's been more of a friend than a guest to us."

        "Yeah," agreed Haruhi. "It's been nice to have a girl around with a stable head on her shoulders for a change."

_ 'A stable head on her shoulders.' You're right. _

        "Anyway, I've got to get home. My dad thought I'd be back an hour ago. He’s probably worried sick." Haruhi made her way out of the music room. "I'll see you guys on Monday."

        "Goodnight, Haruhi," replied Kyoya.

        Mori and the Hitachiins waved to her.

        "Tell your father I said hello!" requested Tamaki.

        "Sure..."

        "Sleep tight, Haru-chan!"

        Mori waved.

_ 'A stable head on her shoulders.' She does have a very professional air to her, doesn't she?   _ "I suppose I'll follow her lead," stated Kyoya. "Goodnight." After a sea of farewells flooded over him, Kyoya made his way home.

##

 

        Kyoya sat at his desk, his pencil’s eraser resting atop his bottom lip.  _Focus_.  He had only one more question left to answer on his accounting exam before he was free to head to Music Room 3. A sudden chill trickled down his spine as an involuntary memory stole his attention: Mika’s breath caressed the side of his face once more. 

        “Please, Kyoya, call me Mika.”

        Kyoya blinked in an attempt to rid the image from his mind.  _ How was her breath cool, warm, and almost silky all at once? Is that even human?  He punched numbers into his calculator.  Why does she want me to address her so informally? But, more importantly, why am I even bothering to think about this, especially in the middle of an exam? _  When the exam ended, Kyoya made his way toward the club room. On his way there, he heard some noise emanating from a nearby classroom. Kyoya poked his head in, succumbing to his curiosity.

        “She’d never know a thing! We could just  gently  lift it up and have a peek,” one second-year boy said to another. They were standing over a female who appeared to be asleep at her desk. The boys laughed hysterically.

         _Those curls... are they...?_

        At their laughter, the girl lifted her head.

         _They are. It’s Mika._

        “Awww,” one of the boys complained. “We woke her up.”

        “Huh?” asked Mika in a daze.

        “Excuse me,” Kyoya chimed in, and he entered the classroom.

        “Ootori?” one of the boys asked. “W-what are you doing here?”

        “I don’t think harassing Miss Sasaki is a very good idea. You see, Mika is a friend of mine, and you both know that I’ve the power to have both of your fathers removed from my father’s hospitals, no matter how skilled they claim to be. I’d advise you to leave her alone.”

        Without a word of protest, the boys exited the classroom. Mika stood, her eyes locked on Kyoya. He nodded to her and then turned on his heel to leave. He had only made it a few paces away from the door before he felt a small tug on the back of his jacket. He turned to face her, his heart rate quickening.

        “Thank you, Kyoya,” Mika said softly. “If you hadn’t been there...”

        “You’re quite welcome,” Kyoya replied.

        “Let me repay you.”

        “That won’t be necessary.”

        “I insist.” She smiled up at him. “Dinner on the house at our local location. Besides, you’ve given us so much business that it would only be fair for us to give a little something back.”

        “I suppose I can understand that logic. Since you insist, I’ll be happy to accept your offer.”

        Mika’s face seemed to glow at his words. “Is six o’clock tonight good for you?”

        “That should be fine. I’ll see you tonight then.”

        “‘Til then.” Mika turned away from Kyoya and made her way down the hallway.

        Kyoya then continued toward Music Room 3. When he entered, he saw that the other hosts had already arrived.

        "Kyoya, you're late," observed Tamaki, pointing at Kyoya. "Where were you?"

        "Yeah, it's not like you to  not  be the first one here," Hikaru pointed out.

        "I ran into a bit of trouble on my way over here," Kyoya explained. "It was nothing important."

        "If you say so," replied Tamaki, and he stood from his chair. "Now, let's discuss this evening. Why don’t we go to the theatre? I hear this season has just been superb!”

        “Why don’t we go another night this week, Tamaki?” Kyoya suggested.  _ Damn. How could I have forgotten? _

        “Another night?” Tamaki whimpered. “B-but  Mondays  are... family night...”

        “Yeah, Kyoya-senpai,” said Kaoru.

        “We thought you, of all people, should be able to remember that the boss has us reserve every Monday night for him,” Hikaru added.

        “I apologize,” said Kyoya. “Something came up.”

        “What do you mean, ‘ something came up? ’” barked Tamaki, clearly appalled. “What could be more important than family?!” He raised his voice.

        “Again, I apologize,” reiterated Kyoya. “My mind was a little clouded when I made these other plans.”

        Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged smirks.

        “Oh? What kind of plans?” they inquired in unison.

        “You’re not going on a date with Mika tonight, are you?” asked Hikaru. The twins looked at Kyoya expectantly.

        Kyoya readjusted his glasses. “I’d hardly call it a date,” he said. “I saved her from two morons earlier, and she insisted on repaying me. It’s merely a thank-you meal, not a token of romantic affection.”

        “Sure it is,” answered Hikaru and Kaoru together, taking one another’s hands tenderly.

        “You can believe whatever you like,” Kyoya responded, “but what I know is that I wouldn’t be having dinner with Mika this evening if I hadn’t saved her this afternoon, and therefore nothing romantic was, or will be, suggested by my agreeing to see her this evening.”

        “But what about us?” Tamaki cried.

        “You’ll have to survive without me, I’m afraid.”

        “But, mama...”

        “I’m sorry, but I’ve already agreed to go. I’ll be there for next time. I promise... daddy.”

        Tamaki threw his arms around Kyoya, who grimaced. “Thank you!”

 

##

(Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Sakura Kiss for Strings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r2cVmOADws))

        At  six o’clock sharp, Kyoya arrived at Sasaki Gourmet, his apparel fit for an audience with a queen. When he entered the establishment, a hostess flashed him a welcoming smile.

        “Good evening,” she said kindly. “Your name?”

        “Ootori,” replied Kyoya.

        “Ah, Mr. Ootori. Welcome! Please follow me.”

        The hostess lead him through the dining room and into one of the adjacent private party rooms. A single table had been placed in the centre of the room, which was lit by several candles and minimal lights. As Kyoya and the hostess approached the table, Mika stood, revealing a form-fitting pink dress that sparkled in the candlelight. 

        “Here you are,” said the hostess. “Enjoy your meal.”

        “Thank you,” answered Kyoya, and the hostess made her way back out into the dining room. “Good evening, Mika.” He now focused his attention on her.

        “Hello,” Mika replied. “You look handsome.” She seemed to be suppressing a smile that wanted to double in size. 

        Kyoya felt his internal temperature begin to rise.  That was unexpected. I should probably say something in return.  "Thank you. Your dress is lovely."

        The pair of them sat.

        "Thank you," said Mika. "As promised, your meal tonight will be on us - a proper three course meal, that is."

        "You didn't need to go to so much trouble."

        "Nonsense. I really appreciated what you did for me today." Mika rested her head atop her hands, which were folded neatly into one another.

        There's something about her eyes that seem so different to me than any of our other guests' .

        "I'm happy I arrived when I did," replied Kyoya.

        "Me too."

        Silence fell over the both of them.  _ Is it because their color is so unique? No, that's not it. I find them beautiful. They are uniquely beautiful.  _ Kyoya and Mika's first course came and went. The two of them made small talk over their families and how involved in their businesses they planned to be in the future. As their main course arrived, Kyoya became increasingly more obfuscated by his own behavior.  _ I don't understand _ , he thought.  _ Why do I feel concerned about making a good impression on this woman? There's nothing truly to gain from it. It's her mother I should be making a good impression upon. Perhaps I'm channeling that through Mika? But this feels different. It's so warm in here... _

        "Excuse me," said Kyoya. "Could you tell me where the restroom is?" His stomach turned.

        "When you enter the main dining room, there’s a door immediately to your left. That’s it," Mika explained, and she daintily wiped the corners of her mouth with a dinner cloth.

        "Thank you." Kyoya stood and made his way toward the men's room. He stood over a sink and drew a deep breath. He then let the cold water run a while, and he splashed some onto his face.  _ It's her professionalism. Her mannerisms. Her skill. Those eyes. That's it: she's beautiful to me. It's not just her eyes, it's her. All of her is uniquely beautiful.  _ Kyoya dried his face and cleaned his glasses; he sheepishly grinned at himself briefly in the mirror. When he returned to the table, he gave Mika a warm smile, which she returned.

        "What would you like for dessert?" Mika asked.

         _After everything I’ve realized this evening, I don’t think I could eat another bite. Besides..._  "To be honest, I don't really care all that much for sweets," Kyoya confessed.

        "Oh." She seemed taken aback. "That's not a problem. I won't force you to stay for a third course." Mika giggled. “This was for you, after all.”

        "I enjoyed this," said Kyoya. The words seemed to have fallen out of his mouth before he could stop them. He suddenly became thankful for the candlelight, as it concealed the red hue that began to spread across his cheeks.

        "Me too."

        "It's been very nice getting to know you." He fiddled with the dinner cloth he clutched in his left hand.

        "Same to you, Kyoya.” Mika beamed at him from across the table. “We should do this again. There's plenty more I'd like to learn about you." She sipped her glass of water.

         _How should I take that?_  "Certainly. Although next time I might feel more comfortable choosing a venue at which your eating free of charge is due to my chivalry and not your name." He chuckled.

        "I'd like that," she responded, her eyes glistening. 

        "As would I," said Kyoya as their waiter collected his and Mika's empty plates.  _As would I._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hikaru and Kaoru set up a game between Tamaki and Kyoya to test their patience, and there's an important prize on the line.

 

** Chapter 4 **

 

Kyoya scrolled through an e-mail listing a new abundance of aution profits to record from over the weekend. _Wow_ ,  thought Kyoya,  it apparently took less than four hours for Tamaki’s chipped teacup to sell, and at  ¥ 13,0 00 too.  He excitedly recorded the profit in his black book. As he finished writing, he heard the sound of a chair screeching against the music room's tiled floor. He looked up from his notes.

        "Sorry, Kyoya-senpai," said Haruhi, "I didn't mean to interrupt you."

        "That's quite alright," Kyoya replied. "Is there something you need?"

        "Not really. Could I sit? I was just hoping I could talk to you." Haruhi squeezed the back of the chair as she spoke.

        Kyoya reluctantly closed his computer. "What do you want to talk about?"

        "I just noticed you've been a little... off lately," she stated, slowly easing into the chair.

        Kyoya blinked.  _ Excuse me?  _ “ ‘Off?’  Could you be a little more specific?"

        Haruhi paused for a moment and looked away in thought, her fingers resting by her chin. "It's like you're fogged up. You seem... distant? No, distracted." She slammed her first onto her left palm as she came to that conclusion.

_ Ah, Haruhi. You're always very perceptive, aren't you?  _ He grinned. "I assure you, I'm quite alright."

        "Believe it or not, Kyoya-senpai, it's okay to have feelings for a person," said Haruhi matter-of-factly.

        Kyoya's grin promptly faded.

        "Ha, there it is. It's somehow sweet to see you show some human emotions," she giggled.

        "Oh, Kyoya!" came a more feminine version of Kaoru's voice from behind Kyoya and Haruhi. He burst into the room wearing a female student’s uniform and a curly, brunette wig. He was accompanied by his brother, who had been wearing glasses and a dark-haired wig. "You're not a demon after all!"

        Hikaru adjusted his glasses not unlike Kyoya would usually fix his. "You've sucked all the evil out of me." He seized Kaoru by his hips, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Literally."

        "It was my pleasure," Kaoru answered, inching his face closer toward Hikaru's.

        Kyoya stood, slamming a fist upon the table. "Is this your idea of a clever joke?" He seethed.

        Hikaru and Kaoru instantly broke out of their embrace.

        "W-we're sorry," Kaoru cried.

        "Yeah, we really are," Hikaru reiterated; they were trembling.

        "It's appalling that you had to use Haruhi as bait for information. She's too naive to even realize you were using her."

        "Uh, actually, Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi began, "I just genuinely wanted to talk to you. I had no idea they were spying on us. And who’re you calling naive?!"

        "She's right!" Hikaru hollered desperately.

        "Please don't hurt us!" pleaded Kaoru.

        "I'm not going to do anything to you, you morons." Kyoya pushed his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose. "However, Haruhi, I’ve now added one-hundred-fifty more to your request quota."

        " One-fifty?  That's not fair! I had no idea they were even there! I had nothing to do with this!" Haruhi retorted, raising her voice.

        At that moment, the doors to the music room opened. Kyoya, Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru all froze in place and looked in the direction of the entrance. The twins, still in costume, sprinted toward the prep room. Mori, Honey, and Tamaki all entered, their mouths covered in chocolate. As they approached the group, Kyoya handed each of them a napkin. 

        "Thank you, Kyoya," said Tamaki, and he stepped aside.

        Behind him stood Mika with a white box in her hands. She smiled up at Kyoya.

        "Good afternoon," she said.

        "What'cha got there?" asked Haruhi, peeking over Mika's shoulder and into the white box.

        "I made some fudge for all of you." She smiled sweetly. "I didn't want to break my promise about baking for you."

        "And boy, is it delicious!" commented Tamaki. Mori nodded silently at his side, too busy chewing to comment.

        "Aw, thank you," said Haruhi, extending her arm to accept the square of fudge Mika had taken out of the box for her. “It smells amazing!” she praised before taking a bite.

        The Hitachiin brothers then returned to the room, although this time they were both in male uniforms, sans wigs.

        "I made fudge," Mika repeated for the twins.

        "For us?" Hikaru asked.

        "That's so kind of you," Kaoru and Hikaru said together, and they shot mischievous smirks at Kyoya from behind Mika's back.

        "There's a piece for you too, Kyoya," stated Mika, and she held the box away from her person and toward him.

        Kyoya crossed his arms, discreetly wiping the moisture off of his palms. "Thank you, but I do believe I've already told you that I don't care for sweets."

        The other hosts nearly dropped their fudge at his reply. Mika retracted her arms and closed the box entirely.

        "I'm sorry," said Mika, her smile remaining perfectly in tact. "I just didn't want to exclude you."

        "While that's very kind of you, I'll still have to reject."  _ Great, now it feels too warm in here. _

        Tamaki made a noise that sounded as though he'd been stabbed in the abdomen. "He's hopeless," he muttered. Hikaru and Kaoru nodded fiercely beside him.

        "In fact," Kyoya continued, his fingernails now threatening to tear through his jacket sleeves, "we have some important club issues to discuss, and, seeing as you're not a club member, Mika, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

        Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru seemed to melt into the floor. "He really  is  hopeless," said the three of them in unison. Mori, Honey, and Haruhi nodded.

        "You're welcome to come back later when we are open for business," stated Kyoya coolly, and he began to turn around to collect his laptop and notebook.

        Tamaki rushed to Kyoya's side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kyoya, don't you think that's a bit harsh? She's made all of us fudge! We could talk about the plans for the ball later."

        "I don't think you realize just how much work goes into planning these events, Tamaki," Kyoya snapped back.

        "It's alright," Mika chimed in. "I'll leave. I don't want to cause you any more trouble, Kyoya. I shouldn't have intruded like this. This could have waited until you opened for business. Have a good day." She did not break her gaze with Kyoya as she turned on her heel to leave. 

        "Thank you for the fudge!" Honey yelled after her with a big wave.

        With her hand on the doorknob to exit the music room, Mika looked over her shoulder with a bright smile. "You're welcome, Honey-senpai. Any time." She closed the doors behind her.

        "Well, that was uncomfortable," noted Hikaru.

        "No kidding," Kaoru added.

        "Kyo-chan, I think you should apologize," suggested Honey.

        “Mmm,” agreed Mori with a nod.

        Kyoya averted his gaze to his shoes, his fingers twitched on his laptop’s lid.

        "He's right, you know," said Tamaki, placing an arm gingerly around Kyoya's shoulders.

        "That's not really how you should treat a girl you care about," stated Haruhi. "You  do  care about her, don't you, senpai?"

        Kyoya sighed.  _Looks like the cat's out of the bag._  He readjusted his glasses.

        "You know you can tell us anything, right?" asked Tamaki. "We're a family, after all."

        "You and this ‘family’ business," Kyoya chuckled. "Thanks, Tamaki. And yes, Haruhi, I suppose I do."

        "Then you should go apologize!" demanded the Hitachiins, and they proceeded to push Kyoya toward the doors.

        "Hurry!" warned Kaoru.

        "Before you lose her!" Hikaru continued.

        "Alright, alright," replied Kyoya, wriggling the boys off of his back. He poked his head out of the doors and looked down the hallway. Mika had already almost made it around the next corner. He ran a few paces down the hallway before he hollered, "Miss Sasaki!"

        Mika turned around slowly, the white box of homemade fudge still hugged closely to her chest. She began to walk toward him, and her petite footsteps echoed loudly throughout the empty hall. Kyoya made his way toward her, and they met several yards away from the ajar doors to Music Room 3.

        "Yes?" asked Mika softly.

_ Those eyes. _  "I -  ahem  \- I think I ought to apologize for my behavior. I'm... really sorry that I was so unkind to you, and I wish I would have accepted your dessert."

        Mika beamed up at him and handed him the entire box. "I really admire how seriously you run the host club. I wonder what the others would do if you weren’t there to keep things in order."

        "It’s all in a day's work," Kyoya responded, taking a tiny square of fudge out of the box. He took a bite, and the buttery chocolate seemed to melt immediately on his tongue. He nearly dropped the rest to his feet.  _ Not once have I ever encountered a dessert that I would voluntarily eat again purely for pleasure. I wonder though if that's because of what's in this, or who made it... _  "Mika, this is fantastic," he calmly praised her.

        "Thank you very much," replied Mika with a bow. "There's plenty more in the box. I'd like for you to share it with your family, Kyoya. We didn't order dessert on our... at dinner last week."

        "I'll be sure to do that," answered Kyoya. "Thank you."

        "And I forgive you," she added with a smile.

        "Thank you," Kyoya repeated. "I'll... see you around then."

        "’Til then."

        Kyoya turned on his heel and made his way back toward the music room. His body temperature rose swiftly, and his face flushed.

        "Kyoya," came Mika's sweet voice from behind him.

        _ I can't turn around now _ _._ "Yes?" he asked, only turning his head halfway toward her.

        "There's something on your back."

        Kyoya's heart dropped into his stomach. Anger swept over him as he reached an arm behind his back and felt a piece of paper there. With a small tug, it came loose. His eyes fell onto large, bold letters:  _** LOVER BOY! ** _  He crumpled it and tucked it out of sight into a pocket. 

        "Thank you once again, Mika." He hurriedly made his way back to the music room. When he tore the doors open, the other hosts jumped.

        "And, uh," Tamaki stammered, "that's how you read constellations!"

        "Shut up, you idiot," demanded Kyoya, and he hurtled the ball of paper past him and at the Hitachiins, who dodged it.

        "Hey!" they yelled together.

        "Do you think you're being funny?" Kyoya asked in a rage. "This is none of your business whatsoever."

        "We just want to help you," reasoned Tamaki. "We think that you and Mika would make a lovely couple."

        "You can think that all you like," Kyoya was practically breathing fire, "but that doesn't mean you should be plastering signs on my back about it!"

        "You may be right," said Tamaki, "but you should confess to her! True love never fully blossoms until it has been watered by the words of mutual feelings."

        "That's a little hypocritical," the Hitachiins muttered.

        "I agree with Tama-chan! I like Kyo-chan and Mi-chan together," said Honey sweetly, giving Usa-chan a strong embrace.

        "She  does  seem to have a fondness for you," added Haruhi. "What's there to lose?"

        "Do you all think I know anything about what it means to be in a romantic relationship?" Kyoya massaged his temples.

        "When you care about someone, it all comes naturally," Tamaki explained.

        “Except maybe for you,” the Hitachiins retorted to one another once more.

        "Besides," Hikaru started, "if Mika-senpai was still willing to give you that fudge after the way you treated her..."

        "...she's definitely got to have a crush on you!" Kaoru finished.

        Kyoya's face reddened.

        "Aw, look at you!" Tamaki squealed, pointing his finger directly in Kyoya’s face.

        "Please stop," Kyoya requested curtly, smacking Tamaki’s hand away.

        "Why don't we plan something special for you and Mika at the Crystal Ball? You could confess to her in an unforgettable, grandiose manner!" Tamaki had fallen on one knee and raised his arms as though he were presenting Kyoya as a prize.

        “Absolutely not.” 

        "We know how to settle this," Hikaru and Kaoru chimed in, their fingers interlocking with one another's. "Let's play a game!"

        "If Tamaki wins,” Kaoru explained, “Kyoya will have to confess his love to Mika at the Crystal Ball in a manner that he, Tamaki, chooses."

        "And if Kyoya wins, he is free to do as he pleases without Tamaki, or any of us, butting in," Hikaru added.

        "Does that sound like a deal?" They asked together.

_All I have to do is beat that moron in some kind of test? This should be a piece of cake._ "That sounds fine to me. Tamaki?"

        "I gladly accept this challenge!" Tamaki draped his hand over his heart.

        "Guys, why don't we just let Kyoya do what  he  decides?" asked Haruhi. "This is kind of a big deal for him..."

        "Thank you, Haruhi. Even though you technically started all of this madness, I'll lower your added quota to one-thirty instead of one-fifty."

        "Oh, joy..." She rolled her eyes.

        "The first one to break loses," declared the Hitachiin brothers.

        "Could you explain that in more detail?" requested Kyoya.

        "The first one to break  composure  loses," Hikaru explained.

        "Ah, so you'll be trying to trigger our anger? This should be interesting..." Kyoy’s voice trailed off.

"The game starts now!" The twins  announced .

 

# #

(Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Polka Capriccioso](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhbRow6mG_w))

        Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi made their way through the courtyard in search for Tamaki. 

        “Do you really think this is going to work?” asked Haruhi as the three of them spotted Tamaki’s blond hair in the distance. 

        “You’d be surprised,” Kaoru answered.

        “This could really affect the boss,” Hikaru added.

        “Hey boss!” the twins sang, and they each tossed an arm around Haruhi’s shoulders.

        Tamaki turned around, seeming to shimmer in the sunlight. His glistening aura depleted the moment his eyes met the mischievous gaze of the Hitachiin brothers.

        “What are you doing with Haruhi?” he asked, disregarding their greeting.

        “Haruhi just told us something  very  interesting,” said Hikaru, and he pulled Haruhi closer to his person.

        “What is it?” asked Tamaki. “I want to hear!” he cried.

        “It’s really not that big a deal,” said Haruhi calmly.

        “Yesterday she did something reckless!” Kaoru proclaimed.

        “I wouldn’t call it reckless...” Haruhi defended.

        “You’re going to ruin the game if you don’t play along,” Hikaru and Kaoru both whispered into Haruhi’s ears.

        Tamaki leaned over and took Haruhi’s face in his hands. “What did you do?” he asked seriously.

        “Be careful, boss,” warned the twins.

        “You don’t want to lose you cool!” Kaoru chuckled.

        Tamaki cleared his throat and combed his fingers through his hair, standing tall once more. “I mean, as your loving father,  I  shall be the judge of what is or isn’t reckless.”

        “I let a stranger drive me home,” Haruhi confessed plainly, crossing her arms.

        Tamaki seemed to choke on the air around him. “Wha...what?”

        “Damn!” cursed the twins.

        “We thought for sure he’d burst out in a rage,” complained Hikaru.

        “Ha..ru...hi.... let a stranger... drive her... home?” squeaked Tamaki.

        “Relax, senpai,” Haruhi explained. “I took a cab because it started raining when I was walking home from the supermarket.”

        Tamaki was frozen in place; his very soul seemed to have escaped his body. Haruhi poked him several times.

        “Senpai?”

        “Let it go, Haruhi,” began Hikaru.

        “He’s too far gone,” finished Kaoru, gently leading her away from a statuesque Tamaki Suoh.

 

##

 

        After placing the sign-in book by the music room’s entrance, Kyoya made his way toward his laptop. Upon powering up his computer, Kyoya sighed.

        “What’s wrong?” asked a pair of familiar voices from behind his back.

        Kyoya turned around to see the smirking faces of Hikaru and Kaoru mere inches from his own. 

        “It appears as though all of my files are missing,” stated Kyoya. “This wouldn’t happen to be your doing, would it?”

        “I don’t know,” said Kaoru teasingly.

        “Maybe,” added Hikaru.

        Kyoya smirked. “That’s quite alright, because I anticipated you might do something like this, so I prepared a disk with everything of mine backed up on it.”

        “You mean  this  disk?” asked Hikaru.

        “The one from your bag?” specified Kaoru.

        Hikaru and Kaoru each presented Kyoya with a half of a CD-rom disk.

        “If you really did pull that out of my bag, yes,” Kyoya replied calmly. “However,” he reached into his pocket, “I’ve also prepared this data stick. Sorry, but you haven’t won this time.”

        The twins pouted.

 

##

 

        "Hey there, Tamaki-senpai," said Kaoru, and he plopped himself next to Tamaki on the sofa after the lady with whom he had been conversing stepped away.

        "Hello there... you!" answered Tamaki. "Where's your brother? You're not going to force me to play that game again, are you?" He seemed to panic immediately.

        "Hikaru went to observe Haruhi making that commoner's coffee. Don't lose your cool!"

        Tamaki's eyes widened. "I'm cool," he said, although his tone of voice hinted the opposite. "I'm calm, collected, and regal." He flashed Kaoru a handsome smile. "See? I'm the calmest king there is!"

        "I wouldn't go that far," replied Kaoru with a chuckle.

        At that moment, Hikaru and Haruhi approached them. Haruhi had been carrying a tray full of teacups.

        "Look who finally decided to join us," teased Kaoru. "I thought it was called  instant  coffee."

        "Shut up," retorted Hikaru. "Haruhi, why don't I take that tray from you? It looks awfully heavy."

        "I'm fine," replied Haruhi with a smile. "I don't mind doing these things. It's all part of repaying my debt, after all."

        Hikaru grasped either side of the tray. "But it's common courtesy to help our female companions, especially when it comes to carrying things."

        Before Haruhi could respond, Hikaru had forcibly seized the tray from her. Because of the power he'd used to steal the tray, the teacups went soaring. Tamaki shrieked and stood, his uniform sopping wet in hot coffee.

        "Owieeeee! So... hot! Must... keep... composure...."

        "Wow, he's really determined," observed the twins together.

        "You planned this?!" Haruhi was astonished.

        "Perhaps," they replied.

        "You two really scare me sometimes."

        The Hitachiin brothers laughed, throwing an arm around one another's shoulders and winking at Haruhi.

 

##

 

        "Hikaru, are you sure we aren't taking it too far this time?" asked Kaoru as the two of them opened the door in front of them.

        "You and I both know that this is for the best," answered Hikaru.

        "I'm a little worried about our safety here, brother."

        "We'll be fine. He won't hurt us..."

        "...or will he?" They questioned together. "Oh well, here goes!"

        Hikaru activated the voice record function on his cellphone. The twins immediately began to holler and clap their hands. Kyoya, who had been sleeping peacefully in his bed, opened one of his eyes and looked at his clock. It read six-thirty in the morning.  _ Why? _

        "What are you imbeciles doing in my bedroom at six-thirty on a Saturday?" Kyoya bellowed from under his pillow.

        "Wakey-wakey, Kyoya-senpai!" laughed Kaoru.

        "Next week is the Crystal Ball!" Hikaru stated.

        "I don't need you two to remind me!" retorted Kyoya, and, without thinking, he hurtled a pillow at the boys.

        "Uh-oh!" sang the twins. "I think he lost his cool!"

        "Looks like Tamaki-senpai," began Kaoru,

        "can hold his composure better than Kyoya-senpai!" finished Hikaru.

        “Who would’ve guessed?!” added Kaoru.

_         Damn them! _

        "You lose!" They sang together, and they hastily ran out of the bedroom before they could be engulfed in the flames of Kyoya's rage.

 

##

 

        After the last guest exited the music room, the hosts sat together at a table around a box of homemade cookies that Mika had left with them earlier that afternoon. 

        "We have an announcement," said Hikaru, who proceeded to play the recording from Kyoya’s bedroom over the weekend.

        "Tamaki-senpai has won our competition!" announced Kaoru.

        Honey, who had been double-fisting cookies, dropped them both at Kaoru's words, forcing Mori to catch them just before they hit the floor.

        "Are you okay, Kyoya-senpai?" asked Haruhi.

        "I'm fine," Kyoya replied. "I would rather do things my way, of course, but a deal is a deal. Tamaki, you are, and I can't believe I'm saying this, free to plan my confession to Mika at the Crystal Ball."

        "Yippee!" exclaimed Tamaki, leaping out of his chair. "Kyoya, you won't regret this decision!"

        "As I recall, it wasn't really my choice..."

        "Either way, you'll be happy to have relied on me!" He beamed.

        "Again... well, whatever you say, Tamaki."

        "Now," began Tamaki, and he slammed his hands onto the table, "we're going to need to make this perfect. As this is a Halloween event, we're going to have to call in some professionals."

        "You don't mean..." began a stunned Honey, his voice trailing off.

        "I do." Tamaki nodded.

        "The Black Magic Club!" proclaimed all of the hosts together.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the Crystal Ball! Will the event go well? How will Hikaru and Kaoru's winner's plan work out?

**Chapter 5 **

(Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Sinfonietta C Dur](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2488MGQL9U))

 

The  evening had finally arrived: The Ouran Host Club’s Halloween Crystal Ball.  The evening kicked off with a beautiful opening waltz played by the Orchestra Club, who had happily volunteered to provide music for the occasion. As Tamaki wished, all of the hosts were dressed in authentic fortune-teller cosplay that had been designed by Hikaru and Kaoru's mother. Kyoya stood on the staircase, overlooking the packed dance floor, equipped with his black book.  _** Guest turn out: better than we ever hoped. ** _

        "This is your love line," said Tamaki, stroking a lady's palm gently with his index finger. "It's quite long, which means you love passionately, my dear, and you'll find a true love that will last a lifetime." His face was now merely centimeters from hers.

        "Oh wow," breathed the girl. "I hope that love is you, Tamaki..."

        "You never know what the stars have in store for you,," he whispered, “Perhaps it  is  me..."

        The girl whimpered, seemingly too mesmerized by his words to produce her own.

 

 

        "Trouble brewing," warned Mori while staring into a cloudy crystal ball.

        "Oh no!" wailed the ladies surrounding he and Honey.

        "What kind of trouble?" inquired one of the girls.

        "It looks like," Honey began, and he swallowed, "a math exam is coming soon!"

        "Aww!" The girls couldn't resist. "That might be scary, but it's just so cute when you say it, Honey!"

 

 

        "Reach in," urged Kaoru.

        "If you dare," added Hikaru.

        "To our fortune basket!" they finished in unison.

        A large number of guests flocked over and encircled the Hitachiins.

        "What do you mean, ‘if we dare?’" asked a nearby boy.

        "Nothing's going to grab us in there, is it?" A nearby girl seemed worried.

        "No," answered the brothers. "We just don't want you to get...  bad luck !"

        "I'll take my chances," said the boy, and he grabbed a fortune.

        "Me next!" demanded a girl, and hands began appearing from every direction to seize fortunes.

 

 

        "Um, Haruhi," a second-year girl began, and she tapped Haruhi on the shoulder.

        Haruhi turned around and gave the lady a smile. "Oh, hello. Are you enjoying the ball?"

        "Oh, yes!" she responded, her face turning pink. "I was just wondering... I was just wondering if maybe you could save the next dance for me?"

        "Of course I can," responded Haruhi. "Although I'm not a very good dancer..."

        "Neither am I!" the girl admitted. "So there's nothing to be embarrassed about..."

        "Right! It'll be fun."

_** Host Event Behavior: Satisfactory. ** _ Kyoya then closed his book and slipped it into the satchel which he’d been carrying some fortunes.  _ Oh, _  thought Kyoya,  _ perhaps I ought to make notes of which food items are most popular amongst the guests. That way I’ll know what to order for next time, and I could also inform Mika’s mother of how well her cooking went over. It would only be fair after confessing to her daughter...  _ His heart began to beat faster than the percussionists’ drums as he approached the refreshments and evaluated each item’s popularity. He then turned on his heel to make his way toward the dessert table on the opposite side of the room when an unexpected sight forced him to balk mid step. Mika had arrived, her long curls flowing into an extravagant violet gown that swept the staircase as she descended them. 

        “Seems I was wrong,” Kyoya mumbled under his breath, a smile forming upon his face.

        “About what?” came Haruhi’s voice from behind him.

        “Oh, nothing. I just need to fix a few of these notes.”

        He pretended to cross something out and rewrite it in his book.  _ I didn’t think it possible for her to be any more beautiful. _  Eventually, as the evening progressed, the hosts ran out of fortunes. Guests had been taking some for their friends who were unable to make it to the ball. In fact, they had been requested by so many people that Kyoya had to keep a list of students to provide with fortunes at school that coming Monday. To keep the orders from getting out of hand, each guest was not allowed more than two free fortunes. Because of this, the club began to turn a profit from the event an hour before it was set to end. As Kyoya added more names to the ever-growing list, the lights in the ballroom began to flicker.

        “What’s happening?” some of the guests whispered to one another.

        Darkness suddenly blanketed the dance floor, it being broken by nothing except a single skylight that pulled the moonlight out of the night sky and into a beam in the center of the ballroom. A chilling, maniacal laugh began to echo from somewhere above. 

        “Good evening, students,” came a deep, male voice.

        The guests shrieked. 

         _That's my cue. Time to change_ _,_ thought Kyoya, and he slipped out of the room.

        "Tonight is the night the spirits have been waiting for!" came the menacing voice once more, and it let out another blood-curdling laugh.

        "Tamaki, I'm scared!" yelled a first-year, tightly gripping his arm. 

        "Haruhi, hold me!" shrieked another girl who was cowering behind Haruhi's back.

        "Who are you?" Kaoru asked the voice from above.

        "And what do you want?" chimed in a visibly angry Hikaru. 

        "Every fifty years, on the night before All Hallow's Eve, the curse of Ouran Academy reawakens," the voice explained.

        "The curse of Ouran Academy?" screamed Tamaki. "You mean it's real?!"

        "The male second-year student who wanders outdoors alone will meet a terrible, irreversible fate: his soul will be taken to appease the spirits, and in fifty years  he  will return to take his own revenge!"

        "A second-year male student?" questioned Haruhi aloud. "Guys, has anybody seen Kyoya-senpai?"

        "Kyoya?" Tamaki repeated. "No, I haven't seen him! Oh no, you don't think he's  _ wandered off _ , do you?"

        "Boss!" yelled the Hitachiin brothers in unison.

        "We saw him!" Hikaru’s voice broke.

        "He said he was going for a walk!" Kaoru added. The twins then nodded to Tamaki, who nodded back discreetly.

        "I can't believe this!” Tamaki wailed, throwing his head back in disbelief and the back of his hand against his forehead. “Kyoya's gone off on his own on the night before Halloween? He should know better than this! What are we going to do?" He turned his heel to find Mika staring directly at him. Her face had gone pale, and it seemed to have nothing to do with the moonlight reflecting off of her skin. She caught her breath and dashed out of the ballroom.

        "Honey-senpai!" Tamaki hollered.

        "I'm scared, Takashi!" Honey responded on cue.

        Mori, who had been standing just outside of the ballroom, lifted his hand from his side to reveal a walkie-talkie. He positioned it in front of his mouth. "Go."

        The laugh that had been, once again, echoing throughout the ballroom immediately ceased. 

        "Eh, just kidding. Happy Halloween from the Black Magic Club!" announced Umehito Nekozawa, president of the school’s Black Magic Club. "Be sure to stop by our off-campus headquarters tomorrow for a special curse cleansing. You never know when somebody might try to curse you,  especially  on Halloween!"

        After Nekozawa's words, the lights in the ballroom returned. The guests applauded.

        "Wow, Tamaki," began the lady who had been squeezing his forearm, "that was amazing!"

        "Yeah!" agreed another nearby female. "You really scared us!"

        Tamaki chuckled. "We just want you to embrace the Halloween spirit." He took both ladies' hands. "Just as I want you to embrace  me , princesses."

        "Oh, Tamaki!"

 

(Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Tranquilezza for Strings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV4__b5RvQM))

Kyoya  sat on the edge of a fountain in the school's courtyard, now dressed in a formal suit and tie. His hands, which had been placed gently on his knees, were now threatening to block the flow of blood to his calves.

        "Kyoya!" came a voice in the distance.

        Kyoya's eyes widened, and his grip on his knees tightened.  _ She came _ _._ Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of purple.

        "Kyoya!" Mika screamed once more.

        Kyoya could not seem to move.  _ Tamaki, for once, you weren't a complete idiot . _

        "Kyoya!" she breathed - her voice was much closer now.

        Suddenly, Mika's face was directly in front of Kyoya’s. She kneeled in front of him to look him in the eyes. Droplets of water had been streaming slowly down her cheeks. She placed her hands on either side of his face.

        "Kyoya?" she asked, and she bit her bottom lip.

        "You're crying," he observed softly, and he carefully removed her hands from his face. 

        "You're okay?" Mika replied, wiping her eyes.

        "I never intended to make you upset," Kyoya said, handing her a handkerchief from an inner jacket pocket. 

        Mika dabbed her eyes dry. "I'm sorry," she apologized as she stood to her feet. "I've completely lost my composure." She gave a small chuckle.

        "Don't apologize."  _ I can't believe I'm about to do this...  _ He, too, stood and took her into an embrace. "I'm right here. You don't need to worry."

        Kyoya felt Mika's hand grasp the back of his jacket, pulling him closer. He caught himself smiling.

        "I might not be the best at articulating my feelings,” Kyoya’s voice shook, “but I'd like you to know, Mika, that you're quite beautiful to me. Inside and out."

        Mika pulled herself backward out of his arms. Kyoya pressed his hand into his forehead, covering his eyes.

        "Forgive me," he pled gently. "It’s one thing to behave like this when it’s strictly for business, but it’s entirely different when it’s purely personal. I have... no experience with something like this."

        Mika forced Kyoya's hand away from his eyes by interlocking her fingers with his. She had stolen both of his hands. Kyoya felt her body lean into his, and their noses touched. He kept his eyes closed and treasured Mika's calmness. She pressed her lips into Kyoya's, and he finally relaxed his body, squeezing her hands in return. When their lips parted, Kyoya finally opened his eyes. Mika was smiling up at him, her eyes now dry and sparkling with an excitement Kyoya had never noticed before. He bravely planted a kiss atop her forehead.

        "Aww!" came the voices of the rest of the hosts in the distance. Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru were wiping tears from their eyes.

        "That was so beautiful!" the three of them cried in unison.

        Kyoya blushed. Mika giggled.

        "Congrats, you two!" yelled Haruhi with a wave from where the others were standing.

        "Hooray!" added a bouncing Honey, and Mori applauded from his side.

        "Hurry back inside," said Tamaki. "There’s still a few dances left!"

        Kyoya bowed to Mika and extended his hand. “Mademoiselle.” 

        (Suggested music from the Ouran OST:  [Waltz With Adonis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hybuKshtx4A) ) 

She  placed her hand in his, and the pair of them joined the other hosts as they made their way back to the ballroom. As they entered, the orchestra began to play a slow, moving piece. Tamaki gently pushed Kyoya and Mika onto the dance floor. Kyoya immediately took Mika’s waist, and they moved in rhythm with the legato music.

        “Why me?” asked Mika suddenly, her head tilted slightly to her right. 

        “Why you?” repeated Kyoya, a bit confused.

        “You could have anyone, yet you chose me. Why is that?”

        Kyoya grinned. “Anyone? Now, I don’t know about that, but, for now, I’ll bite. Because you’re  you . The host club entertains hundreds of guests each week, and you’ve stood out from all of them in the most wonderful of ways to me. Everything about you has so much class, and that, coming from me, is saying something. There is beauty in all that you do.”

        Mika’s face reddened, and she smiled widely up at him. “Thank you,” she said. “To think, I only visited the host club in the first place to put a face to the name of who’d been giving my family so much business. I never anticipated wanting to learn so much more about you, let alone  admiring  you.”

        “Admiring me,” Kyoya reinforced the phrase aloud, the words tasting like homemade fudge on his tongue.

        “Of course.” She allowed a small laugh to escape her lips. “Please, with your kind of talent and looks, I was intrigued by you immediately.”

        “Ah, well that makes two of us.”  _ If only such ‘talent’ extended to controlling the redness in my face. _

        As the final dance came to an end, all of the guests began to bid each other and the hosts farewell.

        “Thank you all for coming,” said an enthusiastic Tamaki. “We hope you have a very happy Halloween!” He then turned to the other hosts. “Let’s take a family photo!” He pulled a camera out of his pocket. “With Mika as well. Tonight is definitely one worth remembering!”

        As the twins stole Mika away from her friends by the door, Tamaki handed his camera to Nekozawa so that he could capture the picture for him. The hosts all stood together: Mori seemingly stone-faced in the back and center of the group, Hikaru and Kaoru with one arm around the other next to him, Kyoya and Mika in front of the Hitachiins, Tamaki and Honey to the left, and Haruhi to the right. 

        “Say ‘Happy Halloween!’” requested Nekozawa. 

        “Happy Halloween!” answered the hosts and Mika.

        Just as Nekozawa had taken the picture, Hikaru and Kaoru pushed Kyoya and Mika’s faces together, forcing them to kiss. When it was over, Mika laughed. Kyoya glowered at the twins.

        “What did I tell you two about meddling?” he asked, determined to control his anger.

        “Guess we forgot,” answered Hikaru and Kaoru together, the smirks on their faces suggesting otherwise.

        “That was supposed to be a nice family photo!” Tamaki cried as Nekozawa returned his camera.

        “It was,” said Haruhi. “Capturing a genuine moment is what pictures are supposed to do. Hikaru and Kaoru were just being themselves: pranksters. I think it was a great shot.” She laughed.

        Tamaki paused. “You are absolutely right, Haruhi!” He hugged her. “You always know just what to say!”

        “Right, thanks. You can let go of me now, senpai...” Her voice was muffled by Tamaki’s chest.

        “I’m going to go see if there’s any cake left,” announced Honey, and he tugged Mori’s hand. “C’mon, Takashi!” The pair of them began to walk away.

        “Don’t take too much,” ordered Mori.

        “I guess the ball was a big success, huh?” asked Hikaru.

        “Indeed it was,” replied Kyoya. “It turned out to be better than we ever imagined.”

        “And Haruhi’s manly reputation has been saved!” Tamaki proclaimed as Haruhi finally pushed him off of her.

        “I would imagine so,” Kyoya responded. “After all, she was the only female in the ballroom who remained unafraid for  any  reason.” He shot a glance at Mika, who blushed.

        “We’ll really have to step up our game for the next one, won’t we?” inquired Kaoru.

(Suggested music from the Ouran OST: [Nocturne for Orchestra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP-QxcJJyd8))

        “ Perhaps ,” answered Kyoya. “But for now, let’s focus on the present.”

        “You got it!” replied the Hitachiins together, giving Kyoya a thumbs-up.

         _There is nothing left to do but take care of all of my present responsibilities and look forward to what’s in store for the host club in the future. As for Mika and me? As new, exciting, and frightening it is all at once, I have a very good feeling about the two of us. After all, she_ _ is _ _the only woman who’s ever made me feel this way._ Kyoya squeezed Mika’s hand as he walked her to the car that had been waiting for her outside.  I never knew such feelings could be my own.

        “Goodnight, Kyoya,” said Mika, and she turned to face him.

        “Sweet dreams, Mika,” replied Kyoya with a bow.

        Mika kissed him gently on the cheek before stepping into her car.  _ I truly never knew. _  His face began to tingle where she had kissed him.  I suppose this is one of a multitude of moments from this evening I’ll be reliving in my dreams.  He placed his hand on his cheek. When Kyoya returned to the now-empty ballroom, the other hosts rushed over to him.

        “See Kyoya? I didn’t let you down!” said Tamaki, winking and throwing Kyoya a peace sign.

        “No, you didn’t,” Kyoya admitted. “And I thank you for that.”

        “You’re welcome! You know what? This gives me an idea. Since tonight was an enormous success, I ought to plan your first date with Mika as well!”

        “That’s quite alright. I’d much rather be the one to take care of things from now on,” said Kyoya.

        “Please?” Tamaki begged.

        “No.”

        “Pretty please?” For a split second, it looked like Tamaki had sprouted an actual pair of dog ears and a tail to go with his puppy dog eyes.

        “I said no.” His eyebrow twitched.

        “We know how to settle this,” interrupted the Hitachiin brothers. “A game!”

        “No. Absolutely not.” Kyoya was adamant.

        “Why not?” they asked.

        “While I appreciate your being willing to help, I’m capable on my own.”

        “Aww...”

        Haruhi giggled. “And the host club does what the host club does best: get on each other’s nerves like a family.”

        At her words, Tamaki pulled his camera out of his pocket and snapped a photo of Hikaru and Kaoru prodding at Kyoya with Honey (cake in hand), Haruhi, and Mori looking on. 

        “That’s a keeper!” Tamaki chuckled. 

        Kyoya, Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, Honey, and Mori all laughed together. As the lights turned off in the ballroom, the Ouran High School host club was, until Monday afternoon, officially closed for business.

 

** THE END**


End file.
